SAPAKOFF COLUMN: Best for all: A little more Cremins

Anthony Johnson has more in common with College of Charleston interim head coach Mark Byington and athletic director Joe Hull than maroon golf shirts. The former Cougars guard and 13-year NBA veteran wants Bobby Cremins to bounce back from his basketball medical leave, return to the sideline next season and coach the Cougars for a few more years.

"That would be the best thing for the program, to have Bobby Cremins back," Johnson said. "This program has some momentum, and that would be the best thing."

Repeated or paraphrased or not, A.J.'s pair of sentences combine for the most sensible thing said about The Cremins Situation since the announcement that he was taking a leave of absence on Jan. 27.

A bit more Bobby benefits just about everyone.

Make no mistake about it: A.J. wants to indirectly follow in the footsteps of his mentor, legendary Cougars head coach John Kresse.

"I think I would like being an NBA assistant coach, and I think I would like being a college head coach," said Johnson, a 37-year-old Stall High School graduate. "But I would definitely be interested in the College of Charleston job at any time that it came open."

Tom Petty's "The Waiting is the Hardest Part" theory doesn't apply here.

Better to apply for the job after Cremins gets some more out of a young, talented team.

Young talent

A few more years gives Johnson time to get more coaching experience. He worked with the Philadelphia 76ers staff during the 2011 playoffs. A short drive from his home in Atlanta, he is helping

Hawks head coach Larry Drew in an unofficial capacity.

Extra seasoning would also be good for Byington, 4-2 as the interim head coach with three straight wins including Saturday's home upset of Davidson. He is capable of a larger role, allowing the 64-year-old Cremins more rest. If it doesn't work out for Byington at Charleston -- where he has the best winning percentage of any active Southern Conference head coach -- he gets valuable experience for the next job.

The players want Cremins back, and most have said so. The core group of projected contributors next season includes freshmen Adjehi Baru and Anthony Stitt, sophomore Trent Wiedeman, junior Andrew Lawrence, redshirting junior Willis Hall and incoming signee Canyon Barry, a 6-5 swingman from Colorado Springs who is the son of basketball Hall of Famer Rick Barry.

Doctor's blessing and Cremins willing, this group plays and stays together. Already, some of the players or their representatives have been contacted by representatives from other programs inquiring about their interest in bailing out of a post-Bobby world on Meeting Street.

"We want Bobby Cremins back," athletic director Joe Hull said. "I hope Bobby comes back. But a lot of this is out of our hands. Time will tell."

'Momentum' stuff

About that momentum A.J. mentioned.

The Cougars, as presently constructed, and Davidson, with its starting lineup returning intact, will be the best teams in the Southern Conference next season.

Charleston, if not for injuries, would have a better record this year than 16-10 overall and 8-7 in league play.

Recruiting has gone very well the last two years.

Charleston easily leads the Southern Conference in home attendance.

Cremins returned from a Hilton Head hiatus last week for a news conference and is expected back again late this week to meet with school officials.

If you care about College of Charleston basketball, you probably want a short-term success forecast coupled with the best possible pool of Cremins replacement options. A few years of Cremins might be just the right combo.

Reach Gene Sapakoff at 937-5593 or Twitter: @sapakoff